Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Tips and Techniques for self study

Report Card Day has come and gone for most schools. Students sitting for SPM PMR would have gotten either praises J or scolding L from their parents.Here’s some study tips for those of you starting to panic, worry, sweating, pressured etc etc.

First KeyFocus 100% on only 1 thing at any given time.Concentrate fully on that task for that time. DO NOT allow anything to distract you, and that means NO sms, NO phone calls, NO chatting.Let’s say you decide to learn Chap 3 of Form 4 Physics – Pressure for the next 1 hour. Then please commit to Focus 100% on that for 1 hour.Most people (and that includes adults too) live through distraction the whole day. The world is getting more and more ADD, probably due to more and more distractions in our lives. Therefore, many people do not realize the POWER and EFFECTIVENESS of focusing 100% on something, even though it’s only for a short period of time.

Second KeyUse Time Budgeting Technique.Budget a time for your lesson. Let’s take the example of learning Chap 3 of Form 4 Physics – Pressure. Let’s say you decide to allocate 3 hours to complete the chapter, then stick to the 3 hours. Meaning you don’t give yourself excuses and do something else in that 3 hours. (toilet break is acceptable J)It doesn’t matter whether the time allocated is enough or not. What matters is you learn the habit of FOCUSING 100% on a given task. I guarantee after FOCUSING 100% for 3 hours, you’ll definitely see significant improvement of understanding in that Chapter.Please stop after 3 hours. Don’t over shoot your budgeted time. Learn to be disciplined.You can be flexible – but please understand that if you’re always flexible with your time, you’ll not have enough time to finish your syllabus. Learn to balance flexibility with discipline.

Third KeyChunk Down your lessons.Slice your budgeted 3 hours into smaller lessons. Preferably complete the lessons within a day or 2. Maximum 3 days if the chapter is long.For example – you may decide to study 1 hour each lesson. You can study 1 hour in the morning, 1 hour in the evening and then another hour the next morning. (Remember to give 100% FOCUS to the subject matter in that 1 hour)

Fourth KeyDon’t sit.That’s right, you heard me the first time. Stand up and look down at your books on the table, or hold the book up with your hands and read it standing over your desk. Do that periodically over your lesson time – I suggest to stand for 5 – 10 min. Or better still, hold the book or your notes and pace a while around your table.Why? You’ll be less sleepy this way.

Fifth KeyCreate a study environment that you like.If you like music, then study with music. If you like to munch snacks, then study with snacks. If you like cold, then study with the air-cond blasting. (BUT – please make sure you’re giving 100% FOCUS to your lessons and not your snacks!)Try it out – You’ll be amazed with the Power of 100% Focus